{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,7]],"date-time":"2026-10-07T08:53:36Z","timestamp":1791363216899,"version":"4.3.1"},"reference-count":17,"publisher":"Georg Thieme Verlag KG","issue":"06","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Clin Colon Rectal Surg"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,11]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Imposter phenomenon is an internal fear of being exposed as a fraud despite objective success. It is commonly seen in surgeons early in their careers and can lead to poor performance, anxiety, and burnout. Early-career complications can often precipitate or worsen the sense of imposterism. This article reviews the underlying factors that contribute to imposter phenomenon and suggests how to navigate early-career pitfalls. Preparation and review should be routinely performed to improve clinical and technical skills. Mistakes should be acknowledged and addressed in a transparent, non-accusatory manner. Building strong relationships with patients will increase their trust as well as the surgeon's sense of fulfillment. Asking for help and mentorship should be encouraged as a necessary part of growth. Focusing on these strategies can reinforce our confidence in our abilities as clinicians and allow us to deliver the high-level care that we have been well trained to provide.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1055\/s-0045-1813249","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,20]],"date-time":"2025-11-20T00:10:46Z","timestamp":1763597446000},"page":"423-427","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Imposter Phenomenon: Navigating Early-career Complications and Asking for Help"],"prefix":"10.1055","volume":"39","author":[{"given":"Matthew","family":"A. Fuglestad","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, United States"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Bryan","family":"P. Kline","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Surgery, Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, Texas, United States"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"194","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,19]]},"reference":[{"issue":"02","key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"142","DOI":"10.1056\/NEJMsa2206117","article-title":"The safety of inpatient health care","volume":"388","author":"D W Bates","year":"2023","journal-title":"N Engl J Med"},{"issue":"06","key":"ref2","first-page":"1614","article-title":"Impostor syndrome in surgical trainees: implications for wellness and burnout","volume":"76","author":"A R Bhama","year":"2019","journal-title":"J Surg Educ"},{"issue":"01","key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"399","DOI":"10.1186\/s12909-025-06972-8","article-title":"The impostor phenomenon among surgeons and surgeons in training: a scoping review","volume":"25","author":"C Jin","year":"2025","journal-title":"BMC Med Educ"},{"issue":"03","key":"ref4","first-page":"e79921","article-title":"Imposter syndrome among medical professionals in general surgery: a multi-center observational study","volume":"17","author":"S Mukhtar","year":"2025","journal-title":"Cureus"},{"issue":"09","key":"ref5","first-page":"e93206","article-title":"Imposter syndrome among medical professionals in general surgery: a multicenter observational study","volume":"17","author":"K Kear","year":"2025","journal-title":"Cureus"},{"issue":"11","key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2994","DOI":"10.1177\/00031348241259040","article-title":"Impostor phenomenon among recently graduated general surgeons","volume":"90","author":"B Halgas","year":"2024","journal-title":"Am Surg"},{"issue":"02","key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"431","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jsurg.2020.07.037","article-title":"Effect of COVID-19 on surgical training across the United States: a national survey of general surgery residents","volume":"78","author":"H Aziz","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Surg Educ"},{"issue":"08","key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"767","DOI":"10.1001\/jamasurg.2021.1978","article-title":"Factors associated with general surgery residents' operative experience during the COVID-19 pandemic","volume":"156","author":"A C Purdy","year":"2021","journal-title":"JAMA Surg"},{"issue":"03","key":"ref9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"440","DOI":"10.1097\/SLA.0b013e3182a191ca","article-title":"General surgery residency inadequately prepares trainees for fellowship: results of a survey of fellowship program directors","volume":"258","author":"S G Mattar","year":"2013","journal-title":"Ann Surg"},{"issue":"04","key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"623","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jamcollsurg.2020.11.029","article-title":"Defining the deficit in US surgical training: the trainee's perspective","volume":"232","author":"T N Anderson","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Am Coll Surg"},{"issue":"03","key":"ref11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"241","DOI":"10.1037\/h0086006","article-title":"The imposter phenomenon in high achieving women: dynamics and therapeutic intervention","volume":"15","author":"P R Clance","year":"1978","journal-title":"Psychotherapy (Chic)"},{"issue":"11","key":"ref12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1981","DOI":"10.1016\/j.mayocp.2022.06.021","article-title":"Imposter phenomenon in US physicians relative to the US working population","volume":"97","author":"T D Shanafelt","year":"2022","journal-title":"Mayo Clin Proc"},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1176\/appi.books.9780890425596","volume-title":"Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders","author":"American Psychiatric Association","year":"2013","edition":"Fifth Edition"},{"key":"ref14","first-page":"726","article-title":"Medical error: the second victim. The doctor who makes the mistake needs help too","volume":"320","author":"A W Wu","year":"2000","journal-title":"BMJ"},{"issue":"06","key":"ref15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e2414329","DOI":"10.1001\/jamanetworkopen.2024.14329","article-title":"Surgeon and surgical trainee experiences after adverse patient events","volume":"7","author":"S P Ginzberg","year":"2024","journal-title":"JAMA Netw Open"},{"issue":"01","key":"ref16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e001021","DOI":"10.1136\/tsaco-2022-001021","article-title":"Feeling like an imposter: are surgeons holding themselves back?","volume":"8","author":"B Joseph","year":"2023","journal-title":"Trauma Surg Acute Care Open"},{"issue":"05","key":"ref17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"841","DOI":"10.1016\/j.surg.2013.12.011","article-title":"The effect of complications on the patient-surgeon relationship after colorectal cancer surgery","volume":"155","author":"S E Regenbogen","year":"2014","journal-title":"Surgery"}],"container-title":["Clinics in Colon and Rectal Surgery"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"http:\/\/www.thieme-connect.de\/products\/ejournals\/pdf\/10.1055\/s-0045-1813249.pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,7]],"date-time":"2026-10-07T08:37:32Z","timestamp":1791362252000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"http:\/\/www.thieme-connect.de\/DOI\/DOI?10.1055\/s-0045-1813249"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,19]]},"references-count":17,"journal-issue":{"issue":"06","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,6]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,11]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1055\/s-0045-1813249","archive":["Portico","CLOCKSS"],"relation":{},"ISSN":["1531-0043","1530-9681"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1531-0043","type":"print"},{"value":"1530-9681","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,19]]}}}